Pneumatic suspension means.



UNiTED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

JAMES H. CLARK, OI RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANKM.THOMPSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA,

PNEUMATIC SUSPENSION MANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21,1908.

means as are particularly adapted for use in connection withautomobiles, motor vehicles, bicycles an'd the like, and serve thefunction of a shock absorber.

In its generic nature the invention embodies a pair of telescopiccylinders, one of which carries a piston operable in the other cylinder,and a flexible air-tight tube held within the piston and telescopiccylinders to form a compression chamber.

The invention primarily has for its object to provide a device of theforegoing character of a very simple and eHective construction which canbe easily and cheaply manufactured and which will readily serve itsintended purposes, and with other objects in view than have beenheretofore specified, the invention also comprises certain novel detailsof construction, combination and 4v'arrangement of parts, all of whichwill be first fully described, then specifically pointed out in theappended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1, is a central vertical longitudinal sectionv of my inventionshowing the position of the parts when in their normal position. Fig. 2,is a similar view showing the position of the parts when telescoped totheir maximum distance in full lines, and showing the position of theparts when extended-to their maximum distance in dotted lines. is across section on the line 3-3 of Fig. I. Fig. 4, is a detail view of aportion of the airtight tube forming a part of my invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings'in which like letters andnumerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures Idesignates the main telescopic cylinder whose lower end is provided witha collar Ia having a Harige 1b whose central aperture lc is of slightlygreater diameter than the external diameter of the tubular part 2a ofthe second telescopic member 2, and of less diameter than that of theouter cylinder or telescopic member I. The upper end of the Fig. 3,

`plained.

cylinder 1 is closed by a threaded cap 15l which has a hub 1c providedwith a central bore 1-f for a purpose presently explained, and the caple also has an internal threaded pocket 1g to receive the threadedflange 3a of the piston cylinder 3, which projects into the telescopicmember 2 as clearly shown in Fig. 1, of the drawings.

In order to form a stop to limit the telescoping movement of thecylinders 1 and 2, and to prevent contact between the end of thecylinder 2 and the cap 1d, I provide a stop ring 4, threaded within theupper end of the cylinder 1 and spaced below the cap I d, as shown inFig. 1, of the drawings, and this ring 4 coperates with a lock or othersuitable flexible bumper or washer 5, held Within the circumferentialgroove 2c of the piston head 2b of the inner telescopic member 2, whilea second bumper or washer 6 is placed on\the telescopic member 2 tocoperate with the flange IlD of the ring 1L to limit the extendingmovement of the telescopic sections and relieve the impact between thetelescopic members land 2 when in the position shown in dotted lines inFig. 2.

The piston portion 2b of the telescopic member 2 is provided with acircumferential pocket 2d to receive the lubricating Wick 2e which isnormally pressed against the inner walls of the cylinder 1 by the leafspring 7, the cylinder 1 having oiling apertures 1X through which oilmay be admitted to the wick 2e when the telescopic members are in theirextended position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. I

The cylinder I may be secured to the vehicle in any approved manner, asmay be also the cylinder 2, and a detailed illustration thereof isthought to be unnecessary. I may state, however, that `the cylinderl maybe relatively iixedly secured to some stationary part of the vehiclebody while the cylinder 2 may be mounted, as shown in the drawings, to abracket member 10 in a manner which will be presently again referred to.

The cylinder 2, it will be noticed, has its telescoping end open and itsopposite end closed by a head 2g, and counterbore to form a chamber 2hfor a purpose presently ex- Within the cylinder 2 and the piston 3,whose lower end is open, I place a' flexible rubber fabric tube 8, shownin detail in Fig.

4, which tube 8 is composed of fabric rubber- 'necessary to unscrew thecap coated to render the same air-tight and has its ends open. One endof .the tube 8 is closed by a disk 9a on a stem 9b and a second washeror disk 9 that isheld against the disk 9at by a .nut 9dv threaded on thestem 9b,

as shown, the ends of the tube being clamped between the disks 9"7l and9c.

In practice, the stem 9b and nut 9 d rests in the supplemental chamberor pocket 2h of the section 2. The flexible tube 8 has its other endclam ed to the head 1d, being inter osed near t e inner surfaces of thehead an the disk -11 whose stem 11a projects through the hub 1e of theh'ead 1d and is secured in place by a nut 11. l The stem 11a islongitudinally apertured and countersunk greatest distance, as shown indottedlines in Fig. 2, and the tube 8 is doubled back between the piston3 and the iston portion 2b of the telescopic member 2, t e outerdiameter of the piston 3 and the diameter of the bore of the telescopicmember 2 being such as to leave a space 8 between the folds of the tube8 and thus prevent frictional contacttherebetween.

-While any desired method of mounting the telescopic sections to thevehicle may be employed, I have shown a means for mounting the section 2to a bracket support 10 and this means consists in providing the cranks10a which are fulcrumed by the bolts 10b to the bracket l0 and whichcarry the short shaft or axle section 10c which passes through anaperture 2In in the head 2g of the telescopic section 2, as shown, andin practice, the bracket 10 may be secured to the running gear of thevehicle, While the telescopic section may be secured to the body of thevehicle. This allows of a slight swing on the fulcrums 10b`and-the shaftsection 10C and thus adds to the resiliency of the telescopic sectionsand assists in absorbing the shock when going over rough roads.

In order to replace the tube 8 should the same become punctured or worn,it is only 1d and withdraw the parts attached thereto, making itunnecessary to disconnect the telescopic sections from one another orfrom the vehicle body and running gear.

.In ractice, compressed air is admitted to the c amber A to the extentof about 100 pounds, lper s uare inch, such amount, depending upon t eweight ofl the vehicle body, eing only sufficient to position thetelescopic sections as shown in Fig. 1, so as to allow of the propermovement, either to telescope the sect1ons or extend the same, asconditions may require.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is thought the complete construction, operation and numerousadvantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilledin the art to which the invention appertains.'

What I claim is 1. In an apparatus of the character stated, a pair oftelesco ic cylinders, a iston cylinder carried within one .of said teescopic cylinders and projecting into the other cylinder, and an airtight flexible tube held within said piston cylinder and the innertelescopic cylinder, substantially as shown and described. Y

2. In an apparatus ofthe character stated, a pair of telesco iccylinders, a iston cylinder carried withln one of said te escopiccylinders and projecting into the other cylinder, an air tight flexibletube held within said piston cylinder and the inner telescopio cylinder,a closure cap secured to one of said telesco ic cylinders, and saidpiston cylinder, sai piston cylinder having its other end open,substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with aninner and an outer telescopic cylinder, of acylindrical iston secured within the outer telescopic cy inder andpro'ecting into the inner telescopic cylinder an spaced therefrom, of aflexible air tight tube secured at one end to the end of the pistoncylinder op osite the inner telescopic end and proj ecte into the innertelescopic cylinder substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder, of acylindrical iston secured within theouter telescopic cy inder andprojecting into the inner telescopic cylinder and s aced therefrom, ofaexible air tube secure at one end within said piston cylinder andprojecting through said iston cylinder into said inner telescopiccylinder and loosely held therein, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination with an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder and apiston carried within the outer cylinder and telescoping Within theinner cylinder, said inner cylinder having a piston head provided Withan annular pgroove and lubricating devices heldl in said groove, saidouter cylinder having limitingstops for co erating with the innercylinder piston head, and a flexible pneumatic tube held Within thecylinder and within the piston.

6. The combination with an inner and an- Within the inner cylinder,-said inner cylinderA lar groove and lubricating devices held in saidgroove, said outer cylinder having limiting stops for co erating withthe inner cylinder piston hea a flexible pneumatic tube held Within theinner cylinder and Within the pisgzon, and means for admitting air intosaid tu e.

7. The combination With an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder, theinner telescopic cylinder having a piston head provided Wlth an annulargroove and lubricating devices held in said groove, said outertelescopic cylinder having limiting stops for cooperating with saidinner telescop1c cylinder piston head, a flexible pneumatic tube heldWithin said cylinders, means for admitting air into said tube, a closurecap for said outer telescopic cylinder, and means for securing saidflexible tube at one end to said closure cap, substantially as shown anddescribed.

8. The combination With an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder, theinner telescopic cylinder having a piston head provided With an annulargroove, 'and lubricating devices held in said groove, said outertelescopic cylinder having limiting stops for cooperating with saidinner telescopic cylinder piston head, a iieXible pneumatic tube heldWithin said cylinders, means for admitting air into said tube, a closurecap for said o uter telesco ic cylinder, means for securing said flexibe tube at one end to said closure cap, and means for4 pivotallyconnecting one of said telescopic tubes to the running gear of avehicle, substantially as shown and described.

9. The combination With an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder, saidinner telescopic cylinder having one end closed and one end open, theopen end projecting into the outer telescopic cylinder, the outertelescopic cylinder having its telescoping end open, a closure cap forthe other end of said outer telescopic cylinder, limiting stops carriedby said outer telescopic cylinder for co-4 operatively engaging aportion of the inner telescopic cylinder, a eXible air tube secured v atone end to said closure cap and loosely proj ected into the innertelescopic cylinder, substantially as shown and described.

10. The combination with an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder,said' inner telescopic cylinder having one end closed and one end open,the open end projecting into the outer telescopic cylinder, the outertelescopic cylinder having its telescoping end open, a closure cap forthe other end of said outer telescopic cylinder, limiting stops carriedby said outer telescopic cylinder for cooperatively engaging a portionof the inner telescopic cylinder, a flexible air tube secured at one endto said closure cap and loosely projected into the inner telescopiccylinder, a tubular piston secured at one end to said closure cap andsurrounding said flexible tube and projecting into said inner telescopiccylinder, substantially as shown and described.

11. The combination with' an inner and an outer telescopic cylinder,said inner telescopic cylinder having one end closed and one end open,the open end projecting into the outer telesco ic cylinder, the outertelescoplc cylinder aving its telescopirg end open, a closure cap forthe other end of said outer telescopic cylinder, limiting stops carriedby said outer telescopic' cylinder for c0- operatively engaging aportion of the inner telescopic cylinder, a iiexible air tube secured atone end to said closure cap and loosely projected into the innertelescopic cylinder, a tubular piston secured at one end to said closurecap and surrounding said flexible tube and projecting into said innertelescopic cylinder, and means for yieldingly mounting one of saidcylinders to the running gear of the vehicle, substantially as shown anddescribed.

12. The combination With an inner telescopic cylinder closed at one endand open at the other end, of an outer telescopic cylinder having oneend open, a closure cap for the other end of said outer telescopiccylinder, said inner telescopic cylinder having a piston head, bumperscarried by said piston head, stops carried by vsaid outer telescopiccylinder for coperating with said bumpers, a piston cylindersecured tosaid closure cap and projecting into said inner'telescopic cylinder andspaced therefrom, an open ended iieXible air tube held Within saidlpiston cylinder, and said inner telescopic cylinder, means forming aclosure for one end of said air tube for clamping it to the closure capof the outer telescopic cylinder, and 4closure means for the other endof said air tube, substantially as shown and described.

13. The combination With an 'inner telescopic cylinder closed at one endand open at the other end, of an outer telescopic cylinder having oneend open, a closure cap for the other end of said outer telesco iccylinder, said inner telescopic cylinder aving a piston head, bumperscarried by said piston head, stops carried by said outer telescopiccylinder for coperating with said bumpers, a piston cylinder secured tosaid closure ca and projecting into said inner telescopic cy inder andspaced therefrom, an open ended ii'eXible air tube held Within saidpistonlcyl- 'nder and said inner telescopic cylinder, means forming aclosure for one end of said air tube for clamping it to the closure capof the outer telescopic cylinder, closuremeans for the other end of saidair tube, said last named closure means comprising a pair of clampingplates, one of said plates having a projecting threaded lug, a nutcoperating therewith, and said inner telescopic cylinder having a ocketto receivel said nut, substantially as s own and described. Y

14. The combination With an inner tele scopic cylinder closed at one endand open at the other end, of an outer telescopic cylinder having oneend open, a closure cap for the other end of said outer telescopiccylinder, said inner telescopic cylinder having a piston head, bumperscarried by said piston head,

Astops carried by said outer telescopic cylinand said inner telescopiccylinder, means` forming a closure for one end of said air tube for claming it to the closure cap of the outer telescoplc cylinder, closuremeans for the other end of said air tube, said last named closure meanscomprising a pairk of clamping plates, one of said clamping plateshaving a projecting threaded lu a nut'coperating therewith, said innerte escopic cylinder hav ing a pocket to receive said nut, and means foradmitting air into said flexible air tube, substantially as shown anddescribed.

JAMES H. CLARK.f

